i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for subjecting a medical image represented by digital data in a medical field to an image processing, and an image processing program storage medium in which an image processing program for operating a computer system as such image processing apparatus is stored.
ii) Description of Related Art
With a medical progress and a rapid progress of an information processing technique, digitization of a medical image has been advanced, social basis has been prepared and importance of medical image diagnosis has increased. Reading of a simple radiograph (image diagnosis) has heretofore been performed by a method of outputting an image to a film and diagnosing the image. In this method, diagnosis expenses (direct expenses of a film, film bag, and the like and managing/working expenses) associated with film operation are required, output of a plurality of films is sometimes needed in accordance with an image diagnosis purpose, and considerable cost-up problems such as a diagnosis expense increase and diagnosis time increase arise.
From now on, it is expected that it is essential in future to use a CRT monitor on a computer, observe an image and read the image (diagnose the image). In this case, an image quality level equivalent to or higher than that of the film is required.
When a chest image or another simple radiograph is displayed as it is by the CRT monitor, digital data of the simple radiograph outputted from a computed radiography (CR) photography device is original image data dependent on the device, or image data having no contrast and being unsuitable for medical image diagnosis. Additionally, the CR photography device itself is constituted in consideration of a film property, and a problem occurs that the image data is not formed by considering any CRT monitor.
Therefore, it is proposed to perform an image processing in such a manner that an image suitable for diagnosis is executed and to display the image subjected to the image processing for diagnosis instead of displaying the image as it is on the CRT monitor.
Additionally, to handle various medical images, an image processing condition is adjusted in such a manner that a satisfactory image can be obtained for a certain medical image (e.g., a chest simple radiograph), but an image unsuitable for diagnosis is obtained for another medical image (e.g., mammography), and there is a problem that it is remarkably difficult to set an image processing condition.
Moreover, even with a medical image photography device of the same device type, the setting condition for photography of the medical image photography device differs with a hospital in which the medical image photography device is installed, or there is a difference in a hospital doctor's liking and experience in observation, and in this case it is a problem to provide individual hospitals or individual users with the medical image easy to observe.
Furthermore, for example, it is also a problem to present an area of interest as an image easy to see, or to present an image suitable for observation of symmetry when the symmetry of a human body is to be observed.